


Shadow Box

by Rosalind2013



Series: Sunlight and Shadows [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Adrinette, Alternate Universe, Confident Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Established Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Marichat, Romantic Fluff, Were-Creatures, Werecat Adrien Agreste
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2019-06-15 10:50:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15411306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosalind2013/pseuds/Rosalind2013
Summary: Everyone does their best to make sense of a changing world. Fear and distrust abound, but Adrien has the best friends in the world on his side. Drabbles and one shots that take place within the world of Sunlight and Shadows. Werecat AU with lots of fluff!





	1. Chapter 1

As Adrien followed Marinette up the stairs to her home, he briefly questioned every decision he’d made up to that point. While Marinette had assured him that her parents were beyond excited to have him over for dinner, he still wondered whether their feelings would be different if they knew what he was. 

He didn’t notice that he’d frozen in the midst of climbing the stairs until Marinette circled back around to see why he wasn’t behind her. Her eyebrows were drawn together in concern as she brought a gentle hand up to cup his cheek.

“What’s wrong?” she murmured.

“Nothing,” he replied. 

Her fingers trailed up the side of his face to card through his hair, and Adrien’s eyelids drooped to half-mast as he leaned into her calming touch. He supposed it was a cat thing. 

“You don’t have to pretend. I know something is bothering you,” she prodded.

Adrien frowned and removed her hand from his hair, choosing to thread his fingers through hers instead. It was easier to think when she wasn’t lavishing him with affection.

“I feel like, by keeping my secret, I’ll be lying to your parents tonight,” he admitted.

Marinette furrowed her brow and gazed at him searchingly. “How? They’ve met you plenty of times before. You didn’t feel that way _then_.”

“That was before we started dating. Before I was a risk to your wellbeing,” Adrien said, voice tight with emotion. He dropped his gaze to the floor, unwilling to meet her eyes. 

Marinette placed her hands on either side of his head, and forced him to meet her fiery gaze.

“Adrien Agreste. I chose this. I chose _you_.”

His eyes brimmed with unshed tears as her words struck a chord deep in his chest. While her declaration had his heart soaring, his mind was trapped in a mire of insecurity.

“But you deserve better, Marinette. You deserve someone who can give you everything you want,” he whispered. 

“What could I possibly want that you can’t give me?” she challenged. The fire in her eyes showed no signs of abating, and every argument he’d prepared evaporated in the face of its heat. He floundered for words beneath the scrutinizing gaze, and latched onto the first thing he could think of. 

“I can’t kiss you, for starters,” he snapped.

The fierce look on her face told him he’d gravely misspoken. An uncomfortable silence fell between them, though Adrien barely noticed over the pounding in his ears. He imagined that he heard the squeak of a door coming from further up the staircase, but Marinette’s next words stole away his ability to process such things.

“I _love_ you, Adrien,” she said. 

The weight of her words settled over them like a heavy blanket, warm and inviting, but perhaps a bit stifling. Marinette looked determined to stand her ground in spite of it all. 

Perhaps it was too early in their relationship for such bold declarations, but he couldn’t bring himself to doubt the sincerity behind her words. Adrien’s long fingers wrapped gingerly around her wrists, and Marinette’s cheeks took on a rosy hue at the intensity of his gaze.

Adrien leaned forward to press a lingering kiss to her forehead.

“I love you too, Marinette,” he whispered against her hairline.

“Oh dear, you’ve been holding out on us,” a feminine voice interjected.

Adrien and Marinette sprung apart, faces flushed with embarrassment at having such a tender moment interrupted. Sabine stood at the top of the stairwell with a rather smug look on her face.

“M-Maman! You were eavesdropping?” Marinette spluttered as she tried to gather up the remaining shreds of her dignity.

The woman blinked innocently. “Oh goodness no. I was on my way to look for you, but I saw that you two were in the middle of something and I just couldn’t bear to interrupt such a sweet moment,” Sabine explained.

Tom appeared at her side, a wide grin on his face. “It’s nice to see you again, Adrien. We’re glad you’ve been upgraded to Boyfriend Status. It definitely took long enough,” Tom joked.

Marinette squeaked and rushed up the stairs with Adrien in tow. “Alright, let’s eat,” she said as she breezed past her parents. 

Soon, they were all seated at the table, and Marinette’s parents managed to dispel the majority of Adrien’s anxiety. He still felt slightly deceitful by keeping a secret from them, but he resolved that they _would know_ if that information ever became pertinent.

Tom and Sabine were legendary as far as parenting went, and by the time dinner was over, they’d managed to puzzle out just how lonely he was most of the time. Marinette already knew, of course, but he hadn’t intended her parents to know. 

His girlfriend hadn’t lied when she said her parents were almost omniscient when it came to puzzling out a person’s life story.

It wasn’t what he’d _said_ that gave him away, but what he hadn’t said.

He cringed, expecting pitying looks that never came. Instead, the Dupain-Cheng family opened their home to him. He stared in awe as they continued to astound him with their collective kindness.

“Now son, we want you to know that you’re welcome here. Anytime,” Tom said.

“That includes times that Marinette isn’t in, as well. We’re here for you whenever you need us,” Sabine clarified.

Adrien nodded his understanding, still reeling from the subversion of his expectations. Sabine and Tom smiled while he attempted to process the new information.

“Now you two run along. I’m sure Marinette would love to show you what she’s been working on,” Sabine suggested.

Adrien perked up and smiled at Marinette, “I’d love to see your designs.” 

Marinette nodded and led the way to her room, pausing once they were inside. Adrien gazed at her expectantly, but she took a seat on her chaise and motioned for him to take a seat beside her. 

What happened to showing him her designs?

“We probably need to talk about earlier,” Marinette said, by way of explanation.

Adrien sucked in a breath and slumped a bit at the reminder, but took a seat beside her anyway. “Oh.”

“I want you to know that I meant what I said,” Marinette assured him, placing a hand over his in reassurance.

Oh.

She’d said that she _loved_ him.

Adrien beamed and leaned into her space, enjoying the pink flush to her cheeks as he did so. “Me too,” he murmured as he gazed at her with glazed eyes.

Marinette giggled as a purr rumbled in his chest and filled the air around them. Adrien made no effort to stifle the sound, and Marinette reached out to scratch under his chin with her index finger. The purring gained volume until his chest was thrumming pleasantly, and he leaned in even closer to her face.

She watched his pupils thin and elongate before her eyes. His fingernails sharpened into claws, and suddenly Adrien was fighting the urge to shift. He squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to focus on remaining human. It was difficult, but his purr puttered to a halt and his fingernails receded to a human length.

Marinette placed her hand on the side of his face, effectively capturing his attention.

“Adrien, you can shift. No one’s going to see,” Marinette said.

He deliberated on exercising his self-control for the sake of proving himself, but the call to transform was strong and he wanted nothing more than for her to scratch behind his cat ears. So he shifted right then and there, enjoying the freedom to do so while another person watched. 

Marinette promptly ran her fingers through his fur, and he melted into a purring puddle in her lap. Her fingers ghosted past his ears, and Adrien squirmed as he tried to maneuver her fingers into the right spot. 

She giggled and allowed him to position her fingers behind his ear, and then she combed through the fur there, drawing contented purrs from the werecat. 

“You’re like a big kitten,” she cooed.

Chat Noir stiffened in surprise as her voice snapped him back to reality, and he finally seemed to remember himself. He scrambled out of her lap, eyes wide with a mixture of dread and embarrassment.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that,” he said, chin tucked against his chest and shoulders drawn up contritely. 

Marinette frowned and reached out to smooth his hair down, “What? No, don’t apologize. I thought it was sweet.”

“…You did?” he asked, ears perking up as he watched her with dilated eyes.

“Of course! I told you I always wanted a cat, didn’t I?” she giggled.

“True. I think you got a _bit_ more than you bargained for,” he said with a teasing wink.

That was an understatement.

Marinette doubled over in laughter, clutching her sides as she gasped for air. He joined in, and several minutes later, they were lying in the floor side by side while they tried to catch their breath. 

Adrien had shifted back into human form at some point during their giggling fit, so he didn’t panic when Sabine lifted the trap door and gazed at them with a delighted smile. 

“It sounds like you two are having a lot of fun,” she said.

Marinette smiled and sat up to meet her mother’s eyes. “Yeah.”

“Think you could use some dessert?” she asked. Sabine chuckled when Adrien shot bolt upright at the mention of sweets. He turned to Marinette with a guarded smile, prepared to hide his disappointment if she decided to shoot down the offer.

“Sure,” Marinette answered, and Adrien silently cheered.

“That sounds wonderful, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng,” Adrien said, expertly hiding his excitement behind a polite smile.

The twinkle in her eye told him that she saw straight through him, though.

“Well, come on. You can help us decide which macaroon flavors to sell tomorrow,” she said.

That time, Adrien didn’t bother to hide his excitement, and Marinette giggled as he followed her mother to the kitchen with the enthusiasm of a five year old. The rest of the evening was spent sampling several different flavors of macaroons. 

Marinette smiled and hoped that their future would be filled with many more moments like this one.


	2. We All Scream For Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, double dates and melting ice cream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My computer is broken, so here I am using my phone and a Bluetooth keyboard to write. I worked hard for this chapter. Please excuse any typos or general crappiness!

Adrien and Marinette walked hand in hand behind Nino and Alya as they searched for a popular ice cream stand. It was fabled to be magical ice cream.

Marinette wasn’t sure that Andre’s ice cream was really all that, but she decided to keep an open mind. She hadn’t believed that werecats still existed, but her boyfriend was proof enough of that.

Marinette gently trailed the fingers of her free hand up and down Adrien’s arm, and he sighed in contentment. He loved affection, and since she couldn’t shower him with kisses, Marinette would shower him in caresses instead.

A bird flitted by overhead, and Adrien stiffened as he watched it go with obvious interest. For a terrifying second, Marinette worried he would chase after it. Then he dropped his gaze back to her and smiled apologetically.

“There it is!” Alya declared, finger aimed at a little stand in the distance that sat just off the walkway.

Nino squawked as she dragged him into a headlong sprint toward the stand. Marinette and Adrien laughed at his expense.

“I’d rather walk,” Marinette said.

“Of course, Princess,” he replied.

They continued at a leisurely pace, and their friends were already sharing an ice cream by the time they arrived.  
Andre immediately zeroed in on their joined hands and smiled knowingly.

“Ah, an ice cream to share for the lovely couple,” he declared.

“No!” They said in unison.

Andre looked dumbfounded and Marinette gave him a sweet smile.

“I’m feeling a little sick, so I need my own ice cream,” she clarified.

“Oh, of course,” Andre said as he scooped another.

Adrien gave Marinette a little grateful smile.

“Girl, why didn’t you tell us you were sick? We would’ve rescheduled,” Alya said.

“It’s just a scratchy throat, Alya. Maybe it’s allergies?” Marinette suggested.

“Best to err on the side of caution when it comes to our loved ones,” Andre added, handing the separate ice creams to Adrien and Marinette.

“I feel the same way,” Adrien said, eyes locked on Marinette’s as he spoke.

She smiled back at him and then turned to her best friend.

“Let’s sit on the bench over there,” Marinette suggested.

“Okay!”

It turned out that Marinette was a bit of a messy eater when it came to frozen desserts on a sunny day. She knew there was melted ice cream running down her fingers, but she needed to focus on eating the bit that was still frozen.

Marinette was so focused on finishing her dessert, that she didn’t notice Adrien drawing near.

It wasn’t until something coarse and wet trailed up her fingers that she realized how close he’d gotten. She squeaked in surprise and her eyes settled on her boyfriend’s face. His tongue was still in an incriminating bleeped position.

She snuck a glance at Alya and Nino, who immediately pretended they hadn’t been watching. Good. That meant they could all pretend it hadn’t happened.

Adrien blushed and faced away from the group, burying his face in his arms. Marinette wanted to pat his back, but decided her sticky ice cream fingers weren’t much good for offering comfort.

At least his strange behavior could be chalked up to his inexperience with social situations instead of his catlike grooming instincts. She hoped.

“It feels nice out here,” Nino said.

“I know! It’s perfect ice cream weather,” Alya replied.

Marinette finished up her ice cream and grabbed a wad of napkins in an effort to clean her hands. Adrien recovered from his bout of embarrassment while Alya and Nino chatted, and eventually joined into the conversation.

“What’s your favorite color, Adrien?” Alya asked.

“Well, it used to be orange,” Adrien began. “But now I think it’s the color of Marinette’s eyes.”

Marinette snorted and gave his shoulder a shove. Her blush was worth it.

“That was so corny!” Alya exclaimed.

Adrien looked offended.

“It’s true!”

Nino said nothing, but the way he gasped for air between laughing fits spoke volumes.

Adrien pouted, and Marinette immediately pulled him close in a protective hug. He melted into the embrace. It seemed his indignation was immediately forgotten.

“I think it’s sweet!” Marinette said.

“If you say so,” Alya said.

Marinette could feel Adrien’s chest rumbling with a purr, but it wasn’t loud enough to attract any unwanted attention so she didn’t bother to release him.

His arms were wrapped gently around her waist, and she felt rather secure in his embrace as she rested her cheek against the top of his head.

“You two are adorable. I can’t believe you’ve already been dating for three months,” Alya said.

“It’s felt like three years,” Nino deadpanned.  
Alya raised an eyebrow at him and he raised his hands defensively.

“Ya gotta admit, Adrien’s always making me look bad with all his romantic stuff,” Nino muttered.

“You make it too easy,” Adrien said. His voice was muffled by the fabric of Marinette’s shirt.

“You do plenty of romantic stuff,” Alya argued.

“Like what?”

“Like those songs you wrote for me,” She said.

“Those were really sweet,” Marinette agreed.

“And that time you got me takeout for my birthday,” Alya said.

“From her favorite restaurant,” Marinette added.

“…I guess,” Nino conceded.

Adrien shifted in Marinette’s arms so that he could face his friend.

“I was just messing with you, bro. You’re doing just fine,” Adrien said with a bright smile.

Alya grinned victoriously and leaned on her boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Well, now that that’s settled,” she began. “Let’s talk about all the traffic the werewolf movie brought to my blog!”

Marinette felt Adrien’s arms tighten around her waist, and she rubbed his back reassuringly.

“That’s great! I’m sure people are learning a lot,” Marinette said.

“I know I am,” Nino said. “And I’m just reading over her shoulder most of the time.”

“It’d be nice if everyone read your blog,” Adrien said.

Marinette nodded, careful not to hit the top of Adrien’s head with her chin.

“Maybe there’d be less hateful people out there.”

Alya huffed and crossed her arms, “I wish. There are always gonna be people who hate anyone different than them. The best we can do is educate the ones who are willing to listen.”

“That’s the purpose of your blog, right?” Adrien asked.

“You got it, Sunshine. That’s my mission,” Alya said.

“That’s really cool, Alya.”

She grinned, “I am pretty cool.”

“The coolest,” Nino agreed.

Alya’s phone chimed and she rolled her eyes, “Sorry, that sounds like a submission alert. I’ll just take a quick look and then I can put my phone away.”

She whipped out her phone and typed in the passcode with a flourish, and then squinted at the screen.

Alya’s eyes widened behind her glasses, and she almost looked as if she were going to drop her phone. Nino leaned over to look over her shoulder.

“Oh man.”

“What is it?” Marinette asked.

“Some-“ Alya cleared her throat. “Someone submitted a ViewTube video. It says it’s of a real werewolf.”

Adrien pulled out of Marinette’s embrace and gaped at Alya.

“Looks pretty legit,” Nino said in a sober tone.

Alya turned the phone around and the video revealed a towering mass of fur, dimly lit by an overhead street lamp. It growled and bared its fangs, causing the holder of the camera to topple backward, before bounding off into the darkness.

Adrien was speechless.

“It already has four thousand views,” Alya said, looking thoroughly thrown.

Marinette inhaled sharply.

“That’s a lot,” Nino said.

“I’ve gotta write up a post now. Try to head off the mass hysteria,” Alya said, jumping to her feet with determination.

“You can use my computer! My house is closer,” Marinette offered.

“Perfect!” Alya said just before darting off in the direction of the bakery.

Nino shot off after her, leaving Adrien and Marinette alone on the bench.

Adrien said nothing, but he looked far too pale for her liking.

“It’s all going to be okay. I’m sure this will blow over eventually,”

Marinette said, sounding more confident than she felt.

Adrien gave her a tense smile.

“I hope you’re right.”


	3. What Matters Most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone does their best to make sense of a changing world. Werewolves suffer a loss of anonymity and humans sleep with one eye open. Fear and distrust abound, but Alya won’t stand for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m still writing on my phone, so excuse the roughness of this chapter!

Chat Noir made his way toward the Tom and Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie with tense shoulders and a defensive posture. Daybreak was still far off, but any scrap of light might as well have been a beacon as far as he was concerned. His slitted eyes scanned the area restlessly, as if expecting an attack from any direction.

The sound of drunken laughter drifted up to his sensitive ears, and he immediately flattened himself against the roof until the boisterous group of men had passed.

Roaming the city under the cover of night used to be such a great way to blow off steam. Now, it was arguably the most stressful part of his daily routine.

Adrien had tried his best to stay indoors after the werewolf video went viral, but his cabin fever grew so unbearable that the smallest stimulus would send him into a full transformation. He’d almost been caught by Nathalie.

So Chat Noir had to go out and run around town for at least an hour every day, or risk accidental exposure. The balcony atop the bakery came into view and Chat Noir scanned the streets below for any unwelcome eyes. Seeing no one around, he leaped across the distance and landed soundlessly on the balcony.

Marinette peered through the trapdoor and immediately waved him inside. Chat Noir scrambled down into her room and breathed a sigh of relief at being safely concealed indoors.

“Rough night?” She asked, offering him a cup of warm tea.

“Better now that I’m with you,” he said with a flirtatious wink.

Marinette laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately. Chat Noir beamed and leaned into her touch.

After giving him a good scratch behind his ears, Marinette shouldered her bag and stepped toward the trapdoor that led to the rest of her house.

“Ready to deliver some pastries?” She asked.

Adrien shifted back to human form and shot her a charming smile.

“Ready.”

The walk through the early morning Parisian streets looked much the same as it had before, except that Adrien couldn’t safely have the advantage of his werecat side’s enhanced vision anymore.

The deliveries went easily, and soon they were strolling back in the general direction of the bakery as the sun began to peek over the horizon.

“The cherry tarts looked amazing,” Adrien said, swinging their joined hands as they walked.

“They are! You should have one for breakfast,” Marinette said.

Adrien gave her a smile so warm it took away the chill of the morning air.

“That sounds amazing!”

After grabbing breakfast, they both headed to school, and were greeted by the classroom being in an uproar.

“The statistical likelihood of being attacked by a werewolf is negligible,” Max shouted above the crowd.

“I’m not afraid of some nasty old werewolf,” Chloe harrumphed.

“You should be! They’re terrifying,” Mylene squeaked from her hiding place beneath a table.

Adrien winced and Marinette squeezed his hand in reassurance.

“I could take ‘em! Nobody could beat me!” Kim exclaimed, flexing his arms.

“Wanna bet?” Alix challenged.

“You don’t have to fight werewolves, silly. You just need to make friends with them,” Rose said matter-of-factly.

“As if! I don’t go around handing out friendship to just anyone,” Chloe scoffed with a flippant wave of her hand.

“Chloe has standards,” Sabrina said.

“What’s happening in here?” Alya said as she entered behind Marinette.

Marinette frowned, “I’m not sure.”

“I could totally beat a werewolf in a fight,” Kim said.

“You saw that video on the news! They travel in packs!” Mylene exclaimed, still hiding under her desk.

“My dad says we should lock them up and throw away the key. They’re too dangerous to roam the streets,” Sabrina said.

Alya’s expression darkened, “So that’s what this is about.”

Adrien blinked and turned to Nino for an explanation.

“There’s a video of a werewolf pack mugging some dude,” he whispered.

Nathaniel gulped and slumped down in his seat as if he could hide from the new information. “Packs?” He squeaked.

Alix rolled her eyes. “Duh. They’re wolves.”

“They’re also people. They have rights just like us,” Alya said, crossing her arms as all eyes landed on her.

Adrien’s heart warmed at his friend’s words, and the class seemed to actually consider her words.

“But they’re not just like us. They’re bigger and tougher and sc-scarier,” Mylene said in a trembling voice.

“Only when they’re wolves. They look just like you and me most of the time,” Marinette said with a comforting smile as she bent to help Mylene up.

The girl looked grateful for the gesture of kindness, but there was no hiding her trembling. Adrien felt a pang of loneliness as he looked around the room at his classmates. They didn’t know it, but their words made him feel more isolated than homeschooling ever had.

Nino placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned into his field of vision.

“Hey man, are you okay?” He asked, brow creased in concern.

Adrien gave Nino a smile he hoped was convincing.

“I’m good. Just a little…concerned,” he said.

It wasn’t a complete lie. He was very concerned.

“Don’t be. I trust Alya. If she says werewolves aren’t anything to be afraid of, I believe her,” Nino said.

Adrien stared at the earnest expression on Nino’s face, and the shroud of loneliness lifted. He’d be fine, because the people who mattered weren’t afraid.


	4. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien work on a school project. Just a fluffy Drabble. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After dropping a surprise plot on you guys, I figured you all deserved some fluff!

Adrien and Marinette lay sprawled on their stomachs in the floor of his gigantic room. Thick books, discarded writing utensils, and loose science notes littered the ground.

Marinette held a pencil in her mouth as she thumbed through yet another book, eyes heavy with exhaustion.

Adrien yawned and stretched, accidentally crinkling some loose paper in the process. Marinette yawned in response and shot him a playful glare.

“You made me yawn!” She accused.

Adrien laughed, “Sorry.”

“Oh you _will_ be!”

Marinette’s taunt was the only warning he received before she launched herself at him with every intention of tickling him into submission.

Adrien laughed, not because her assault was effective, but because it really wasn’t.

“You know,” Adrien said, voice rumbling with a purr as she continued to run her hands over his sides to no avail. “Most cats aren’t ticklish.”

Marinette sighed, “Well, it was worth a shot.”

She withdrew her hands in defeat, and Adrien frowned at the loss of contact.

“Don’t stop,” he whined.

Marinette snickered and continued back toward her spot. 

“My tickle attack was a failure. I have to retreat.”

Adrien pouted. “Pet me.”

Marinette raised an eyebrow and he smiled sheepishly.

“Please?”

“We need to finish this lab report. It’s due next week,” Marinette said.

Adrien’s tail lashed behind him in agitation, and he realized he wasn’t sure when he shifted. He shook his head; that was a problem for future Adrien.

“Then we have plenty of time to finish it,” he reasoned.  
Marinette rolled her eyes, but he could tell she was only teasing him.

Adrien nearly climbed into her lap as he inched forward. He eventually managed to tuck his head under her chin.

Marinette sighed in a long-suffering way that was as fake as it was cute.

“You better get to work after this,” she warned. 

He could hear the smile in her voice.

“I promise,” he said.

Soon, her fingers were combing through his fur and his chest was rumbling like a jet engine. There was something so comfortable about being vulnerable with Marinette. Adrien would stay in Marinette’s arms forever if he could.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and they really did need to work on their lab report. Adrien shifted back to his human form and worked diligently to finish the research they’d planned to get done that day.

After all, he had yet another promise to keep.

 


	5. Ghost of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir has a run-in with a mysterious stranger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My phone doesn’t show word count, so this is way shorter than I thought it was. Guess it’s another drabble then!

Chat Noir stole across the rooftops under the cover of early morning darkness. The pads of his feet barely made a sound as he bounded over concrete and tile alike. After werewolf sightings in the media started trending, he’d been more nervous than ever.

Much to Adrien’s surprise, it turned out that werewolf paranoia actually made it easier for a werecat to hide in plain sight.

When everyone was looking out for hulking masses of fur, no one was paying attention to the small, lanky werecat darting across the rooftops.

A flash of movement ahead had him skidding to a stop. For a brief moment of panic, he thought he’d been caught by a human. He breathed a sigh of relief at spotting the pointed ears atop the stranger’s head.

The figure flashed him a sharp smile.

“Hey kid. Long time, no see.”

Chat Noir squinted as he tried to make out the details of the other werecat’s face from afar, and his squint quickly turned to a glare.

“ _You_!” He nearly shouted, pointing  an accusing finger at the newcomer.

The stranger raised an eyebrow.

“Keep your voice down. Wanna wake up the whole neighborhood?” He said.

Chat Noir frowned and crossed his arms defensively.

“Why are you here?” He demanded.

The other werecat seemed to pretend he hadn’t heard him say anything at all. The stranger’s clawed hand shot out with alarming speed, and Adrien flinched away instinctively.

“My friends call me Plagg.”

Chat Noir eyed the extended hand appraisingly.

“Well, we’re not friends,” Chat Noir spat.

Plagg’s ears folded back in a way that almost looked apologetic. He dropped his hand to his side.

“Maybe we got off on the wrong foot,” Plagg said.

“You bit me!” Chat Noir growled.

“Like I said. We had a rocky start,” Plagg said with a shrug.  
The younger werecat narrowed his eyes.

“ _Why are you here?_ ” He repeated.

“I thought you could use some direction,” Plagg said.

“No thanks.”

“C’mon, kid. Just think of all the things I could teach you. Your little girlfriend will be impressed.”

Anger, bright and hot ignited within Chat Noir at the mention of Marinette. He hissed, hackles raised and teeth bared.

“Don’t go near her!” He warned.

Plagg looked like he was holding in a laugh.

“‘Kay. Whatever you say.”

“I’m serious. Leave her out of this,” Chat Noir said with a steely glint in his eyes.

A second passed in silence and then Plagg’s grin dropped. His expression became somber as he gazed at Chat Noir with obvious sadness in his eyes.

“You look just like Emilie did when she was mad,” he said in a quiet voice.

Adrien’s anger fizzled out to make way for confusion.

“How do you know my mom?” He asked.

“Maybe I’ll tell you if you agree to let me train you,” Plagg replied.

Chat Noir’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“I don’t know if I can trust you.”

“Ah,” The older werecat said with a smirk. “I guess you’ll never know then, huh?”

Silence fell between them, and Plagg examined his claws with a bored expression. Chat Noir made an effort to keep his own face neutral. Years of modeling made it extremely easy.

“What kind of things would you teach me?” Chat Noir hedged.

“Control. No more accidental shifting, for starters.”

Chat Noir’s ears flattened against his head as he regarded Plagg. It would be nice to have better control over his shifting, but that werecat didn’t seem particularly trustworthy.

“I want some time to think about it,” he said.

“Knock yourself out. I’ll find you again in a week,” Plagg said.

Chat Noir watched as the older werecat darted off into the night.

Plagg’s mastery of his shifted form was obvious in the way he gracefully traversed the rooftops. Chat Noir stared after him even after he disappeared into the distance.

There was still an hour until it was time to meet Marinette for deliveries, and he spent most of it trying to decipher Plagg’s true intentions.

Something told him it was going to be a long week, but he had no doubt that Marinette would help him come up with a game plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta-da! Plagg was the one who infected Adrien.


	6. Dupain-Cheng Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien gets a secret off his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey, I didn’t forget about Sunlight and Shadows. I’ve had a lot of problems irl and it’s been a struggle.
> 
> Mostly unedited so excuse any typos.

Marinette sat cross legged atop her chaise, brows furrowed in concentration. Adrien gazed up at her from his place on the floor while she considered the information he’d metaphorically dropped in her lap.

“So this “Plagg” guy is the one who bit you? And all of a sudden, he wants to help?” She asked with a frown.

Adrien shrugged.

“Sounds suspicious to me,” Marinette said.

“Me too,” Adrien admitted.

“So why are you even considering it?” She asked.

Adrien frowned. “He said he knew my mother.”

Marinette sighed.

“I don’t know, Kitty. I’m not going to tell you what to do, but I think he sounds shady.”

“Yeah.”

“Plagg isn’t even a real name,” she reasoned.

Adrien nodded.  
“I don’t have any reason to trust him.”

Marinette gave him a wry smile, “But?”

“But I’m really curious,” he admitted.

“You know what they say about curiosity and cats,” Marinette teased.

Adrien laughed and rested his head on her nearby knee. She lovingly stroked his hair, and it helped calm the knot of anxiety in his stomach.

“I wish we could ask my parents for advice. They’re great at coming up with solutions to all my problems,” Marinette said wistfully.

Adrien blinked up at her with wide eyes.

“Do you really think they’d be able to help?” He asked.

“Of course! Maman and Papa are problem solvers,” she said.

“Then,” Adrien began. “Maybe I should ask them.”

Marinette stared back at him with wide eyes, and Adrien’s heart hammered in his chest at his own suggestion.

“You’d have to tell them everything,” she whispered, as if he hadn’t thought it through yet and she was reminding him of the elephant in the room.

“I know,” he answered.

Adrien was a bit surprised at how confident his voice sounded.

“Oh,” Marinette breathed.

The more he thought about it, the more attractive the idea became.

He imagined it would be a great weight off of his shoulders to no longer need to lie to Marinette’s wonderful parents.

After knowing them for nearly two years, he was confident that they might accept him after having some time to process the information. At the very least, even if they reacted poorly, they wouldn’t spread it around.

“I want to tell them,” Adrien decided.

Marinette smiled encouragingly.

“Then I’ll be beside you every step of the way,” she said, bending to drop a kiss on his forehead.  
…

Soon, Adrien found himself sitting between Sabine and Marinette on the couch in the living room. Tom had pulled up a chair, and seemed thrilled to bits that Adrien had finally decided to “open up”.

It appeared that they already had some idea that he was hiding something from them. It was unsurprising; they were very perceptive, after all.

Adrien wasn’t quite sure where to begin, and Marinette squeezed his hand reassuringly.

When the silence stretched too far to be comfortable, Sabine placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Whatever it is, you don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to,” she said.

Adrien shook his head rapidly.

“I want to! I’m just…afraid,” he admitted.

Tom frowned, though not unkindly.

“No reason to be nervous, son. We can handle whatever you throw at us,” Tom said.

Sabine nodded, “We’re honored that you want to trust us with whatever this is, and we promise it won’t leave this house.”

”I know,” Adrien smiled at her and gathered up his courage.

“I wanted to tell you that I haven’t been completely honest with you. Because I’m-“ he paused and cleared his throat.  
Tom nodded, encouraging him to continue.

Adrien squeezed his eyes shut and blurted his next words as if he were ripping off a bandage.

“I’m a werecat!”

A moment passed in silence, and Adrien dared to peek up at their expressions.

Both of Marinette’s parents were staring at him with wide eyes. Tom’s mouth seemed to be trying and failing to form words.

“Were…cat?” Sabine said slowly, as if trying the words out on her tongue.

Marinette nodded, and Adrien absently noticed that the hand that was joined with his was slick with sweat.

She was nervous too.

“Yes, Maman. Adrien is a lot like a werewolf, except that he-“

“Is a cat?” Tom guessed.

It seemed he’d finally found his words. Adrien nodded meekly, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It never did.

Sabine still looked a bit shellshocked, but did her best to bounce back.

“Okay. We can handle that, dear!” She assured Adrien, rubbing his shoulder affectionately.

Tom grinned and followed her lead.

“No problem! Though I have to admit, I’ve never heard of a werecat before. I might need a little education,” Tom admitted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

Marinette grinned at him, and Adrien knew his returning one was toothy and too wide. He didn’t particularly care.

Tom and Sabine were taking turns asking polite questions and wondering aloud whether he’d need special accommodations at their house to feel more at home. Marinette was answering the questions she felt qualified to answer, and Adrien felt a rumble building in his chest.

The best part about telling the Dupain-Chengs his secret? Adrien was free to purr all he wanted.


End file.
